We hear a lot these days about the growing rich-poor gap and how it is undermining the American dream. A telling indicator is that hard work is no longer the sure-bet ticket to getting ahead it once was. Millions who struggle to make ends meet have little realistic chance of achieving a better life. And for the rest of us, it's all too easy to believe there's little we can do to mitigate this hardship. We often sigh at the magnitude of inequality, seeing personal stories of misfortune as tiny drops within a huge ocean of need. Giving Hope is an antidote to this pessimism. It outlines ways that your giving can offer second chances to Americans who have dim prospects for moving their lives forward without outside help. Its powerful stories of personal transformation illustrate how giving can dramatically improve the lives of those experiencing hard times, enabling them to embark on a path toward success. This timely book offers tips about where to donate so that you can give gifts that keep on giving. It identifies 75 nonprofits from coast to coast that efficiently use their donations and have track records of creating access to housing, employment, and educational opportunities. Each of us has the power to help people in need achieve successes that would be unimaginable were it not for the unsung work of so many nonprofits across the U.S. Supporting these nonprofits isn't only the right thing to do; it's also a wise investment. Economists estimate that every dollar spent on providing an enriched early childhood education to those who can't afford one saves at least $13 in the long run. More kids grow up with the skills needed to become productive contributors to society. Consequently, there is less need to spend on crime prevention, imprisonment, special education, public assistance, and health care. Whereas several other books identify ways charity can transform the lives of people living in developing countries, Giving Hope is the first to outline specific ways personal giving can restore the American dream. This practical guide is for those who make relatively modest donations of money or time and who want to know that their giving is having an impact. Even small donations can significantly improve the lives of those experiencing hard times. Although the charities chronicled in this book are instrumental in helping needy people turn their lives around, these organizations rarely get the exposure they deserve. They're small and lack the resources to do the sort of publicity that would enable you to know about them already.
About the Author: Ira Silver has spent his career investigating how giving can create lasting social change. He blogs at www.oppforall.com about nonprofits that enable struggling Americans to gain greater access to opportunity. He is Professor of Sociology at Framingham State University and Visiting Professor of Sociology at Wellesley College, having received his BA summa cum laude from Amherst College and his Masters and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. He has authored or edited three previous books.